Drug task force seizes 14 grams of suspected meth

The Ottawa County Drug Task Force seized approximately 14 grams of suspected methamphetamine from three people at an Erie Township residence on Wednesday.

According to a news release, task force officers seized the suspected methamphetamine from the trio at 3275 West Harbor Rd. The names of the three individuals — two males and one female — were not released.

It is the same residence where Robert A. Emigh, 37, was found in possession of methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana and drug paraphernalia when agents searched the home in December 2015, according to Ottawa County Drug Task Force Commander Carl Rider.

Emigh was sentenced to two years in prison as a result of the 2015 incident last month but alleged drug activity reportedly continued at the residence, Rider told The News Herald on Wednesday.

“We’ve been working on this group since that time,” Rider said. “Since (Emigh) has been sent to prison, there are other people that are now residing at the house and they have basically picked up the meth trade that he was conducting.”

The suspected methamphetamine will be sent to an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification crime lab to be analyzed.

After the analysis is complete, according to the release, the case will be presented to an Ottawa County Grand Jury.

Rider said both drug possession and drug trafficking charges are likely to result in this case against the three individuals.

However, the suspected methamphetamine is not being manufactured at the West Harbor Rd. residence, Rider said, as drug task force agents suspect it is being brought in from southern Ohio.

“We knew that this person was going down last night to pick up,” he said. “Intelligence told us that they were coming back today, so as they pulled into the house, we walked up and talked to them and got the dope.”

The release notes that “methamphetamine is a very strong central nervous system stimulant that is made by synthesizing the over-the-counter decongestant pseudoephedrine.”

Methamphetamine is classified as a schedule II controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to Ohio law, possession of methamphetamine is a felony charge and conviction includes a presumption for a prison term if the amount exceeds 10 grams.